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Kryptid β Paraviral Reproduction
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Published: 2007-05-03 06:16:38 +0000 UTC; Views: 1321; Favourites: 17; Downloads: 29
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Description
What do you get when you combine a tick, a bot fly, and a virus? You might get something like this. I call it the "greater korvog". Its purpose is to illustrate a potential reproductive cycle that aliens might use.I call this reproductive cycle "paraviral", which means "beside viral". This is because it is like the reproduction that viruses use in that viral particles are used to infect host cells. However, it is unlike viral reproduction in that the host cell is transformed into a zygote of the greater korvog (as opposed to a virus factory, as is the case with Earthly viruses). Due to their unique reproductive system, greater korvogs have the same mitochondrial DNA as their hosts (if they have mitochondria or similar organelles, that is). I call creatures that use this reproductive system "paraviruses" (for obvious reasons).
Greater korvogs are about 1 centimeter long at adulthood. Full-sized larvae are about the same size. Although they can sting a human with their proboscis (which is mildy painful), they cannot infect us. They can only infect a specific host (just like viruses).
(This artwork may be copied, borrowed, or reproduced by anyone that wants to. You don't even have to attribute it to me. Just make sure that you don't claim it as your own.)
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Comments: 13
This actually seems very similar to the xenomorph from the alien movies, with some obvious differences, such as the xenomorph using an embryo that takes anywhere from ten to fifteen percent of the host's genetics, while on the other hand this korvog creature largely doesn't use the hosts genes (aside from mitochondrial DNA from the hosts mitochondria (that is, if the host even has mitochondria, )) but still undergoes a mutation or two due to using a host's cell for the zygote.
Anyway, this is a pretty cool concept and I personally would like to talk to you about any number of different concepts for alien life (I actually have a concept in mind that is based off an unusual property that some fungus have, I'll elaborate on it if you want to.)
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Thanks.
Sure thing, drop me a note with what ever you want to discuss.
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Alright, my concept was of an alien quadruped that is in symbiosis with a fungus type organism that completely covers the main creatures skin, the fungus itself has the ability to both shield from, and metabolize radiation mainly for itself, but would still be capable giving about twenty percent of the energy to it's host (and also the fungus could act as somewhat of a flexible armor,) while the host would provide nutrients in the form of dead skin cells at the surface, as well as mobility/protection from other animals that would otherwise easily consume the fungus.
I also had a concept of what role the fungus could play in the life cycle of the quadruped alien in question (which from here on out I will refer to as a "Radio Leaper", not permanent but it fits for now.) The Radio Leaper is about four inches in length, four and a half inches in girth, and three inches in height. The Radio Leaper has very little physical difference between the genders aside from the males which have two sets of horn like protrusions on it's head.
Β Males are very territorial but do come together in groups if certain conditions are met (I'll leave that one up to you.) Such territories are commonly in mountainous regions where they create burrows to get close to radioactive materials to feed their fungus coverings. Females pick males by coloration of the fungus, if it is brownish in color it signals the females that said male cannot defend a territory, hunt prey/gather plants for food very well or cooperate with other males well enough to maintain it's fungal coating, while males with greener fungus are more frequently chosen by the females because they are considered to be able to perform very well in defense of territory, cooperation with others and ability to acquire sustenance. The alpha male (and technically the alpha female) on the other hand has a much more vivid lime green coloration of their fungus because they nest more closely to the radioactive minerals than the others of the pack.
I'm currently very tired right now so I'll stop it here, but I would love to hear what your thoughts on what I have so far are.
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I think it is all quite sensible. Close symbiosis between creatures from different kingdoms is known on Earth. Lichen, coral and photosynthetic jellyfish are some such examples. The idea of radiotrophic fungi is also consistent with what we know to be possible.
I presume the green coloration is akin to the red coloration in cardinals, as the carotenoids in a good diet make the feathers more red and indicate that the male has access to good food resources. A green pigment could be similarly indicative for your males.
I can imagine males coming together for safety in numbers or for warmth (if they are are warm-blooded).
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that's a really neat idea
(for lack of a better word~)
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pretty cool
i liked the fact that u replaced the viral RNA with DNA , i wonder if it would affect transcription,well i guess we can only imagine
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I like how well thought out this was, creating a new reproductive system.
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Thanks. I was looking for some alternative to sexual reproduction that generates genetic variation. That can be hard.
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Heh, that's well thought out. Scary too.
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Pretty creepy, even if they don't infect humans. Bonus points for including the whole life cycle. If I had done it I probably would've just drawn the adult and said "they lay eggs under your skin and then they come out when they hatch"
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Have you ever heard of the human bot fly? Their larva burrow under your skin and later emerge as big, fat maggots. I guess the concept is somewhat similar.
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